Switch for ignition systems.



I G. H. BO YNTON. SWITCH FOB IGNITION BYSTEME.

APPLICATION FILED JULY13,1908.

Patented Feb. 20, 1912.

2 sums-811mm.

WITNESSES IN VENTOR v By y AT RNEY.

a. 11. BOYNTON. SWITCH FOR IGNITION SYSTEMS.

APPLIOATIDH TILED JULY 13, 1908. Patented Feb. 20

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2'.

fNVENT OR.

ATTORNEY.

Moms runs. Inc. mm. \nsmnama. o. c.

.in connection, with the ignition systems for NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEOBGE' H. BOYNTGN, OF DALTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 PITTSFIELD SPARK COIL COMPANY, OF DALTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A GORPORATION.

SWITCH F OR IGNITION SYSTEMS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb. 20, 1912. Application filed 11115 13, 1908. Serial No. 443,265. I

residing at Dalton, in the county of Berkshire and Stateof Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Switches for Ignition Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in switches and is particularly adapted for use closing and openingthe circuit of said systems as used for starting and stopping vapor or internal combustion engines.

The particular obiggt of the invention is in arranging the conta ts so that the battery terminals will be in open position while the magneto-primary circuit will. be in aclosed position, thereby preventing the battery from being depleted or run down when the "safety plug is removed from the switch, as

some of the switches now in use do not overcome this objection. In this switch both a battery and magneto are employed for furnishing electrical energy to the ignition system, or my switch may be employed with two sets of batteries.

"Details of the construction, and operation of the switchwill be fully described in the body of the specification and clearly pointed out in the claims forming a. part thereof.

Referring to the drawings,l igure 1 is a plan view of a switch having its cover re-.

moved for the purpose of clearly showing the interior construction thereof. Fig. 2 1s a plan view of a modification for use preferably with a magneto and battery, whereby either source of electrical energy may be used for igniting the charge. Fig. is a vertical longitudinal section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2 showing the switch lever and the means for securing the same to the base, also showing the plug in position for causing the opening of the magneto circuit, and closing the battery "circuit. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional View showing the position of the battery contacts open and taken on the same sectional line as Fig. 3; Fig. dis a diagrammatic view of the various elements of the switch, and the circuits for the magneto and battery associated therewith and which are shown connected tot-he spring contact strips, and to the contacts of the switch-lever, showg the plug or key withdrawn. Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing the plug 111- serteol, and in dotted lines the different positions of the switch-levers. Referring to the drawings in detail, a

designates the base portion of the switch,

preferably constructed of hard rubber or some other suitable insulating material of very high resistance. The upper and lower portion of the base is provided with recesses, as shown at Z) and a. recess b is pivotally mounted a switch lever (Z at the point e by'means of a'pin f, the

inner end of this lever being preferably bifurcated, as shown, by lneanscof the slit g for the purpose of producing a flexible 'or resilient contait with the terminals h, i, and 7'. In order to adjustably lock the switch-lever (Z in contact with the points 71., i, and j, a plate 7c is secured to the base-piece a andwithin the upper surface of this plate are hollows or indentations for receiving the ball m that. is retained on the lever d by.

means of the plate a, as clearly shown in sec tlonal VlQW Hl Fig.

Within the 'On the underside of the base-piece a and v in the recess 0 are suitably secured conducting strips 0.; p, 9, and 1'.

The conducting strips 0 and 1* are separated, or insulated from each other by means of a flexible strip of insulation, designated at s. The conducting strips Q and 0 have their outer ends overlying each other, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, but are bent or formed at their inner ends that when the-safety plug 25 is removed from the socket 6 these ends will be separated, thus opening the battery circuit and closing the magneto circuit. The inner end of the strip 7) is bent, as designated at a, Fig. 2, and shown in side elevation in Figs. 3 and i so that the conducting strips 1 and p (which are in the magneto circuit), are in contact, that is when the plug if is removed fromthe socket tflbut are separated when the plug t is inserted, as shown in Fig.

3 and also in Figs. 5 and 6.

tsetpoint is connected to the interrupter of a suitable coil. This pin 2 is for the purpose of starting the engine from, the battery by merely pushing the pin inward into contact with the point 2, whereby the Wire 3, which leads to the intrrrnptr, Will close the cir--- suit to the coil and ignite the charge in the engine cylinder. The wire 6 is a coin non ground connection.. v The plug t, it vwill be noticed, is provided. with s transversely located pin for the purpose of locking thesame in the socket t the projecting ends or this pinengaging the grooves of the socket when it is inserted. in the socl'-:et, and after the insertion of the plug it is rotated so ssto bring the pin 25 under the inner end of, the socket. "The inner-"end of the plug engages the conducting strip 9", as shown in Fig, 3, By giving the plug one-hall turna slight pressure on the strip bends 'the same sufficiently to lockthe plug" in the socket when in use. 7 The pOSltlODS ofthe switch-lever alnre indicated by means of the letters B O ,7 and M; meanin respectively the battery; off and magneto positions of helever.

he strip of conducting material 16 (which is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and embedded in the base of insulation Inaterial) electrically connects the socket t with the lever a and the internally threaded socket 3 and is for the purpose of starting the engine from the seat by means of the but ton eflengaging the contact point 2. Referring now to the operation or use of my switch, and first considering the lever d in the B err-battery position, which means thatthe vaporous charge of the engine is to be ignited by electricity derived from a sultable battery: Zlhe lever (Z would then be swun to the rioht causine', its inner end to E; C: I

engage the contact The plug it is-inserted in the socket t and locked by means of the pin elements t engaging the lower side of the socket The inserted plug; holds the battery contact strips 0 and 1 in contact and at the same time separates the magneto c0ntac s 7'" go (see Fig. 3). The current lronrthe hat't v may now be considered l to flow from the terminals, contact-strip to strip 0, contact h, lever 0% pin f insert strip 16 which is soldered or in Contact with the hziishing in which the pin is lo cated) screw socket 11 cover plate a starting-pin e,'conta.ct 2 when the pin 2 is depressed} and wire 3, to the spark coil, when it desired to start the engine'from the seat of the vehicle, that is by depressing the pin After the engine has been started by means of the pin 2, the current is as followsf battery terminal 4) contact strip q, contact strip 0, terminal. 7a to the spark-coil, theplug t remaining in place, as before. After the V battery has become depleted, or he motor has acquired its normal or full speed, the lever d is moved to the f ofi POSllLlOH and from there to the M or magneto poslt on.

ll/ hen the lever is in; the elf position all circuits ere then broken/ The lever has then left the battery contact 7: and is also not in contact with the magneto terminal shown passes fron'i the primary of theinagneto to the terininel w, strip p strip 1", terminal j, to the W1re6 con'iplctlng the circuit through the primary ot the magneto, or in. practice to the-ground of the machine. If it is desiredto cut out thernagneto, the plug is inserted and the lever'-d xnoved to the (3 or of? vPosition; the circuitis then as follows tor-- minsl uncontact i, lever d insert wire 16- throu h thefln socket t startin win 6'. Z3 1 ,7 b t) v conducting strip 9, to the magneto terminal and wire 6- to the ground. This. position opens the magneto contactestrips p and '1' which includes thezpriinary circuit and allows the current to flow to the ground, there fore'rendering-the magneto inoperative.

Consider the starting plug 15 as removed from the sockett and the switch-lever d in the B or battery position, in which position thebattery will be rated: he circuit from the .r'nagneto (which is shown outline at the left of will then be from the primary coil 18, Wire '3, to the 19, contact-strip g9, strip A wire I ground at 20. This current, through the primary with the plug removed, allows the current to flow without any break in circuit to the ground, who by the lincsof force about the secon dar r winding of the magneto are unchanged' 'flherefore no induction occurs in the secondary windings 21 which lead to set of spark-plugs and timer construction shown at 522. v i

Consider now the switclir-lever (Z in the U or oil position: No current will flow to the sparleplugs from either the battery or niagneto source of rent from the ma;

roary 1 5 to the closed contact strips 29 and r to the e id 20. lilo can from the had as the contec-v F Y e open. The 521.1116 results occur e lever (2 is in the M or niagi'zeto position.

n: a worth therefore, the removal oi? the starting plug 5 opens all the circuits,

Referring to the position ol: the parts shown in Fig. 6 in which the plug is in serted in the socket t forcing the battery con tact strips 0 and o together and separating the magneto contact strips g0 and a":- With the switch lever (Z in the "3 or battery posi- The primary curto flows from the pnin open circuit; since the contact strips 0 and q are sepa- I tion, the current will flow from the battery 17 to the strip 9, strip 0, wire 23, battery.

terminal h, lever (Z, insert wire 16, pin f, to the socket member plug t, and strip 1- toflthe-ground, whereby the current through the rimary of'the coil is'complete. The

spar plugs and timer which are indicated dlagrammatically at 2 will then receive current from the secon ary 25 of the coil..

The current from the primary of the-magneto will then flow as follows: from the 7 primary winding 18, wire 26, terminal 2',

"In the spark circuit which is connected with 'the secondary ofthe magneto, the current through the lever d, to the pin 7', insert wire l6, plug t, socket tfl plug t, strip r to the ground. No current will therefore appear of the primary flowing uninterruptedly to the ground 24 by the wire 6. v

Consider now the switch lever .(Z in the off, sition-of the switch: the circuit from t e battery 17 will be broken between the lever d and contact point h, and the primary circuit from the magneto will be from the winding 18, wire 26, terminal 2', lever d,- wire 16, and strip r'to the earth, as

- before. When-the lever d is thrown over to the tM or magneto position, the battery still 'cut out and the magneto primary current will be made and broken at the interrupter .27, whereby an alternating current will be induced in the secondary wind- .ing 21, which will "supply current to the "spark-plug 22. In this posit-ion the pri- ;mary winding is opened at the point a.

What. I clalm is 1 1.111 a switch of the classdescribed, in combination, a base-piece, a switch-lever pivoted thereto, contact-points engaged by theswitchelever, two sets of conducting bars,

means for insulating the sets of conducting bars from each other, a plug, the insertion of which closes one set of conducting bars and opens the other set, and upon the withdrawal of, which allows the first set to open and 'the pairs of bars from each other, and connecting means between the plug and contactlever whereby upon the operation of the plug and switch-bar independent sources of electrical energy may be connected and disconnected, as described.

3. A switch having in combination with a base-piece, a metallic cover therefor, a terminal mounted in the base-piece, a spring push-button mounted in the plate and adapted to engage the terminal, a pair of normally separated conducting contact bars, a plug, a

socket therefor, an electrical connection between the terminal and the socket,means for locking the plug to the socket and retaining said bars in contact, whereby a circuit may be closed through the plate when. the button is operated.

4. In a switch construction,an insulating base-piece, alever pivotally attached thereto, a series of contact-points adapted to be engaged by the lever, two sets of elastic con tact strips, means for insulating one .set from the other, means for simultaneoush opening one set and permitting the other set to close, and vice versa, and connecting means between the strip-operating means and the lever, substantially as described.

GEORGE H. BOYNTON.

Witnesses ALBERT H. Fosrnu, J E. Hoon. 

